Last Chance
by tinkapjill40
Summary: Love fades. Mine has. The words replayed over and over. As I stared into his brown eyes, I really wanted to believe he was telling the truth. I really did. Rose is doing well trying to live without Dimitri, but he comes back. Will she let him in again?
1. Chapter 1

******This is set right after spirit bound and a few things I changed. Tatiana is still alive and Rose never made good on her promise she made during Blood Promise. I hope that was clear if not you will hopefully get the gist while reading!**

**Chapter One**

**_Love fades. Mine has._**

The two sentences shot around my brain, like the ball in the game where you hit it with the little bar at the bottom of the screen. I think Lissa said it was called Break

Out. There was pain as those four little words echoed around my skull and bounced around inside. The pain was worse than the headache I received on the flight to

court. Sure, physically I could kick ass. Killing multiple Striogi in Novosibirsk, I faced with no problems. I could fight through physical pain, but this was emotional.

Guardians were taught how to work through intense physical pain. Not in one class I took did they teach you how to deal with emotional pain. A broken jaw would have

felt nicer than the pain that was racking my body. His love had faded, those words hurt more than any physical pain I have had. My body was shaking, the headache

getting worse. It spread out to my fingers, it was like every cell in my body was screaming out for Dimitri. **Love Fades. Mine has.**

The worst part of it all was my dreams. Adrian stayed out of them for the most part and frustratingly Dimitri did not. My dreams were cruel and it seemed like even in my

sleep I could not escape the grief that was quickly swallowing me up. Not every dream was the same, but they all lead to one thing, waking up in tears. Last nights,

was a repeat. It was the worst of all the self inflicted pain. It was what could have been. Dimitri had gained back his reputation, and he was cleared of being one of the

living dead.

I had become Lissa's Guardian and he was Christians. We all were sitting eating lunch in one of courts little Cafes. Lissa and I were talking about what her life in Leigh

would be like, all the while Dimitri was holding my hand smiling and talking to Christian about what his week was going to be like. It was typical Dimitri we were off of

work and he could not relax and enjoy lunch with our friends. It was pure bliss. We could talk laugh joke and kiss in public. No age restraint or teacher student taboo

complicating things, just two people in love. Lunch ended and we made plans to have dinner the next night at our apartment, the one that Dimitri and I shared. We

walked out into the heat, and I was glad I was not in guardian uniform. I would die from heat exhaustion.

After a failed attempt to be the driver, Dimitri drove us to back to the apartment. It was simple with a Russian flare. I loved it. It was cozy, a brown couch with a large

television. A Russian blanket hung right in the middle. The walls were filled with pictures of our friends and family. We even snapped one of Abe. He was wearing one of

his bizarre bright scarfs. I couldn't help study the other pictures hanging on our walls. Olena was there arms around her daughters, Zoya was maybe one. They were all

smiling and happy. There was another of Dimitri and I kissing in front of St. Basil cathedral this one was in black in white.

"Roza, let's go take a walk." Dimitri's voice caressed me before his two arms wrapped around my waist. He kissed my neck and I focused long enough to nod. He

grabbed my hand and we exited the apartment. The summer passed, the leaves were red and orange. I was wearing a trench coat that went down to my knees and

some killer heels. Dimitri was wearing his duster and was animatedly telling me about the latest western he was reading. We reached a park and walked around a bit;

Dimitri sat down on a park bench and turned towards me.

"Rose, I love you. I always have and I always will. Will you marry me?" his brown eyes sparkled and every inch of his body radiated his love for me. His smile got wider

as I nodded my head and felt tears trickle down my cheeks. He embraced me and our eyes met before our lips did. This kiss was slow and sweet at first, but soon it

started to transition into a passionate one. My hands startle to tangle in his hair, when he broke away and we locked eyes once again, our breathing ragged.

Then he was gone everything disappeared. My once vivid dream melted into a garden that was in the court. I knew immediately what had just happened, Adrian

hijacked my nightmare.

"Little Dhampir, you have to stop doing this to yourself. Belikov is a jerk and I am so much better for you." Adrian said sarcastically but I knew that he was serious. I

was surprised when I felt Adrians arms around me, he didn't smell like smoke. I did not know if that was true in real life, after all this was his dream he could do

anything he wanted. It felt so nice to feel wanted again. My eyes started to water up, I was not sure why. It might have been from the support Adrian was giving to

me. We both knew he had real feelings for me; it had to be painful for him to see me like this. His relationship with Dimitri was going to get worse after this. Dimitri, that

was not real it never will be. The tears were streaming now, and I knew exactly why. It was from the dream that I so desperately wanted to be real.

I found my voice and whispered, "I know. I need to stop doing this. It's so hard." I got out of Adrian's arms, and wiped off my face. Adrian nodded and continued, "Lissa

needs you Rose. Eddie has to go back to guarding my mom. She needs her guardian back. I know it is hard but do this for you. Hell, if you cannot do it for you, than do

it for her. You are not the only one who has been a wreck lately. She misses you." His voice was gentle, sweet. Adrian had never shown me this side of him. Maybe I

was wrong to write off Adrian so quickly. I was not replacing Dimitri, I could never replace him, but Adrian genuinely cared about me. If he kept going like this, I would

give him the chance I promised him before I left for Russia.

Adrian wished me a goodnight, than kissed my forehead. I was lulled to sleep by blank black dreams. I did not wake up crying, but I did wake up a new Rose.

* * *

><p>I do not know how long I had laid there in bed. My thoughts were focused on my own misery, it could have been weeks. I really did not know and up until now I really<p>

did not care. After Adrian's dream visit I decided that enough was enough. I am Rose "Bad Ass" Hathaway. I had a duty to protect Lissa, the last Dragomir. I was

stronger than this. "I am stronger than this." I muttered to myself, as I got out of bed and took my first shower in a very long time. My upbeat attitude was starting to

fade, and I decided to distract myself and find my best friend. After untangling my hair and putting on some sweats, I decided to jump into Lissa's mind to figure out

where she was.

I surfaced into Lissa's mind and felt the panic and terror consume me. She was looking for something, frantically running around her huge room in court. "There is no

way... It couldn't happen. I was so sure." She was mumbling to herself. Her petite hands were throwing papers off her mahogany desk, then they began to shake. She

was staring at a calendar that was underneath some Leigh papers, I still did not understand why she was reacting this way to a calendar. I pushed out of her mind and

decided to head over and try to figure out the mess.

The walk did not take long and after a couple minutes I knocked on her door, when she opened the door and saw me she burst into tears. "Liss, what's wrong?" I said

wrapping my arms around my crying best friend. Her form kept on sobbing and her body would not stop shaking. Stroking her blond hair I asked, "Did something

happen with you and Christian?" Her blond hair shook no, and after a couple minutes she just started to sniffle and walked out of my embrace. This was eerily similar to

the situation I was in with Adrian a couple hours ago. Lissa really did need me, more than just for physical protection.

Her small frame walked over to the desk and she just looked at it. "It's the twenty ninth ,Rose." She whispered so low that my dhampir ears barely picked up on it. I

walked over and looked at the desk, and saw the same calendar. Maybe, she missed an important meeting? Was it Christian's birthday, he would understand if she

forgot.

"Christian will forgive you, whatever it is, Liss. If anything you guys will make up in a day, he is crazy about you Liss." I teased trying to lighten her still panicked mood.

She shook her head, and picked up the calendar. "Christian's birthday is in June Rose." It was winter outside, damn what was wrong then.

"Rose, I am a week late for my period." Her voice was terrified as her eyes were streaming with tears. Oh, shit. I go comatose for a week and this happens.

Someone high up definitely had a sick sense of humor.

**Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it! Review if you would like! Happy Christmas and Holidays! ~ tinkapjill40**


	2. Chapter 2

I own nothing. I hope you enjoy the second Chapter of Last chance. ~tinkapjill40

Chapter Two

I think time froze there for a couple minutes. I tried to keep my face calm; the last thing I wanted was for Lissa to see how shocked I was. She was still sobbing and

shaking, and I put my arms around her not sure what to say. Christian and she are sexually active, they are being safe. At least I thought they were, but it was

becoming obvious that maybe they were not as careful as I thought they were. Just because she is late, does not mean she is pregnant. I kept repeating that in my

head, trying to will it possible. Cycles change frequently, over the tiniest thing; she is under a lot of stress lately. It could be anything. I found my voice and asked

another question, "Have you taken a pregnancy test?" I stepped away out of the embrace and wiped some tears of her eyes. Her jade eyes had a red puffy ring

around them and she choked out between sobs, "No, Rose. I just realized I had not gotten my period, and you showed up so soon. I didn't have a chance...to..."

"Lissa, let's not jump to conclusions. Periods can change, I know yours are regular, but they can change. How about we wait until after the test to worry? You can take

one right now, if that is what you want." I tried to make my voice gentle; Lissa being this distraught was starting to get to me. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes,

her mood was transporting into me through the bond. She had made her way to her bed and was sitting with her head in her hands, she was just sniffling now. I sat

beside her and started again, "You might not be even pregnant Liss. If you are we will deal with that later, do you want to take one now, or later?" Once again there

was silence, she looked up at me. After one last sniffle she responded, "Yeah, it's better to know sooner than later. I do not have any so you will just have to go to the

store in court and pick some up. I am pretty sure you are supposed to take more than one, at least that is what they do in the movies." Her voice started shaky, but

when she was finished all traces of her mood were gone.

I nodded not really caring about the fact I had to go get the tests for her. If it was anyone else, I would have said, hell no. Lissa walked around her room, picking up

and moving around things. It seemed with each step my mood started to balance out. Lissa brought me a card to use at the court store, and after a couple reassuring

hugs I was on my way.

I knew it would hit me again, but I was not prepared for how soon. After, a couple minutes he hit my brain again, Dimitri. He consumed every thought in my brain; I

walked with blinders on to the store. Was he still in a cell or was he just put on house arrest? Which room was he in? Who was guarding him? It had been a week;

maybe he had rethought his decision. I mentally scolded myself for thinking like that. Love fades, you cannot rethink that.

_If I could just get into his room, talk to him. Maybe, just maybe… _**STOP! **I mentally screamed at myself, a cool blast of air rushed over my body, I was at the court store. It

looked just like any other store really, tiled floor. Ten or so signs above the Aisles pointing out food, I scanned them and decided to check down the feminine Hygiene

aisle. If there had not been a sign above the aisle, I probably would have been able to figure it out. I looked down the aisle and pink jumped out at me.

I eyed the shelves. Tampons, Pads, and other products were carefully displayed on the metal shelves. There had to be over fifty types of brands, plastic no plastic.

There were some with different colors even some that were scented. After two minutes and a weird glance from a passing man, I was stumped. Where the crap was a

pregnancy test? They had to have them; Royals have sex they get pregnant. There was one young Moroi man working at the counter when I walked in. He was pale

like all Moroi but his pimply faced tipped me off that he was in his early teens. The last thing I need to add to this day is watching an immature brat snicker about a

pregnancy test, or worse spread rumors about me buying one.

I walked over to the medication department and after ten minutes I was more frustrated and was on the verge of kicking something. I knew the longer I was away the

more worried Lissa would be and well… They come first. I started the walk of shame over to the teenage boy, who was texting on his phone. It was mercifully long. I

reached the boy and put on my guardian mask. "Can you tell me where to find pregnancy tests?" I tried to sound as confident as I could. The boy looked up at my face

and his eyes widened in shock, "uh…. You have to go to the pharmacy and ask for one." He said, staring at my stomach, I rolled my eyes and walked away not

bothering to say Thank you.

The woman at the Pharmacy handed me 3 of the name brand ones they carried and I paid at the register. I swiped lissa dark blue card and after a beep was on my

way. The boy eyed me warily after giving me a receipt. I half ran back to Lissa's room. I clutched the brown bag close to my chest, my eyes were peeled making sure no

one I knew saw me with the brown bag. After a knock she opened the door and let me in. Her eyes were not puffy and the mess of splayed papers was neat once

again on her desk. I handed her the plastic bag, and she went into her huge bathroom.

I never knew it took so long to pee on a stick, well three sticks in this case. She was in there for over fifteen minutes and opened the door. I walked in and saw Lissa

sitting on the side of her claw foot tub. I looked over at the three plastic white sticks, the sticks of doom or the sticks of relief. The little clock was still there so I took

that as we had more time to wait. I decided to crack a joke in true Rose Hathaway style.

"Well, look at it this way Liss, you can have your seat on Council." I said, meeting her eyes. She cracked a little smile and giggled. "You can spoil it to death with clothes

and toys. That way you will stay off my back. This is a win win situation." I said flashing a smile at the end; Lissa gave me a look that made me think I would not get her

off my back about my clothes. After that we just sat there in silence. My mind kept on wandering, what were the tests going to say? If she was pregnant, Christian

would step up. Lissa did love him and I was pretty sure she wanted to start a family with him, just not this soon. If anyone could make it they would.

"Rose, I am terrified." She whispered, looking at my eyes again. "What if Christian does not want the baby? I do not want to be a single mother. It's hard enough to be

a single mom if you are not Royal. Court is never going to look at me the same". Her head was in her hands again for the second time tonight; I knew then that I was

not going to make her feel better. This was the one time that there was nothing I could do. I could protect her physically and emotionally but there was only one person

she needs right now. She needed Christian.

The feeling rang through me again, jealousy. Yeah I knew that he has a place in Lissa's heart that I could never fill, but I never knew that she would not need me for

something and only need him. My thoughts were interrupted by an annoying beep that was radiating on the marble counter. Lissa got up moving towards them, almost

in slow motion it seemed. Lissa's hand with its bright pink nails were shaking as she lifted each of them up and looked at the little screen. After the third stick I did not

need the bond to know what Lissa was feeling. Her face said it all.


	3. Chapter 3

Hi guys! I hope you enjoy this next chapter! I own nothing sadly. Have a Good Day/ Night/ Morning! ~Tinkapjill40

Chapter 3

Lissa's jade eyes were shrouded in fear and then the tears came. I picked up one of the little sticks and saw that one little word that was going to change everything, Pregnant. After checking the other two, which read the same life changing word, I embraced Lissa. Her crying soon died down, and I said, "Liss, you do not have to tell anyone. You do not even have to tell Christian right now. You can wait a little longer to tell people about the baby." After rubbing her back for a couple of seconds Lissa walked over to her touch screen phone and tapped on it. Her phone was to her ear, I heard her say Christians name and after a couple seconds she tapped it and put it on her desk again.

"He is coming over, Rose. Right now, what am I going to say?" Her face screamed panic; if it stayed there any longer I was afraid it would stay that way. I had no idea what to say; thankfully I would never be in this situation. I sat down on her bed and chose my words carefully, "Lissa, you tell him the truth. That is all you can do." I was surprised how calm and almost adult those words made me sound. Dimitri would have been proud of me. The weight of the reminder dropped my mood to an all time low, and I realized just how much of my life was not what I wanted it to be. My heart began to start that ache that soon brought tears to my eyes. Lissa nodded her head and started to go through her drawers to change. "You might want to fix your hair. It looks like a birds nest." I teased. Lissa walked into her huge bathroom and giggled, a couple minutes she walked out in jeans and a tee shirt her hair in a messy bun. I looked like crap compared to her. My sweat outfit reminded me that I probably should change. After, this was sorted out I would go talk to Adrian and thank him.

After Christian arrived I hugged Lissa and whispered, "I will be watching." She nodded her head, and after a goodbye to Christian, I was on my way to my room. I sat down on my bed and tapped into Lissa's mind. I was shocked at how calm she was feeling she was barely sniffling, Christian was holding her. Every second in his arms she relaxed more, and I felt another twang in my chest. I knew what that felt like, that one person could make anything feel better. Dimitri was that person for me. I was not for him anymore. He stopped loving me, so I needed to do the same. Lissa finally broke the silence, "Christian I have something to tell you." Her voice was strong and I could not help but smile. She could do this. They could do this. After one deep breath she said, "I am pregnant."

The room was silent for a minute or two and every second that ticked by Lissa became more and more upset. The tears came again, and my agitation rose as Christian still said nothing. More time passed and Lissa's body began to shake with sobs, Christian's tightened as Lissa tried to move away, I felt shame radiate through her body. Christian whispered, "Are you sure?" Lissa just nodded too upset to say anything else. After taking a deep breath she said, "I took three of them, I am very sure."

Then, Christian said those three words, that I knew Lissa needed right now, "I love you…" He brought her closer. Lissa put her head on his chest, and I felt him kiss her forehead. I felt the love and happiness engulf them. Lissa totally forgot about everything and it was a relief for me. I could feel the anxiety in me calming down. I jumped out of her head and was in my dark room, which was in utter chaos from my mourning Dimitri.

Adrian could wait a couple hours, after an hour of cleaning I felt like I had undone some damage that was done physically but not emotionally. This had to be the neatest my living space had looked ever, at we had maids who tidied up never to the extent that I had just done. My music collection was alphabetically arranged. My closet filled with a meager amount of clothes was organized. I could actually see my floor, it was a miracle. I changed out of my sweats and into a red sweater and plain jeans and after putting on Uggs and adorning myself with my stake; I made my way to Adrian's apartment and after five minutes I arrived at his Blue door across court. I opened the door using the spare he "hid" in his gutter. His leather covered couch was empty in fact his living room was empty. It was clean, surprisingly. The once bottle filled room was clean, he even had a house plant on his end table. I called out his name and no one replied. His kitchen was clean, immaculate even. His fridge fully stocked. I called out Adrian's name and I heard no reply. The maid must have come by; Adrian was sure as hell not this tidy. The fridge had a calendar of playboy bunnies on it, "So much for redeeming himself…" I whispered out loud. I scanned the calendar, avoiding the blond in a bikini, and my eye balls nearly popped out of my head.

On today, in red pen it said therapist 4pm. I looked over at his microwave and his session had started over half an hour ago. Why was Adrian in counseling? He drank and smoked to prevent the side effects of spirit, but maybe he was trying to change. I knew we had devised a dating contract, but I was sure that he was not that serious. That he would be serious enough to go to counseling, was a stunning thought. The thought that he was putting himself through that for me turned from stunned to guilty. I could never reciprocate that, not now, not after Dimitri.

I grabbed a piece of paper off his steel desk – which was clean as well- and wrote that I had dropped by. I half ran and locked the door hoping to not run into him; I did not want him to see just how slim his chances were. I slowly made my way back to my door walking, my mind racing with all the new information. Adrian in counseling, and Lissa and Christian were going to have a child in less than a year? I turned down into the park that was located in court. It was desolate and the trees were naked from the cold winter. I eventually made my way to the benches in the center where a statue of Alexandria the youngest Moroi queen in history.

"What should I do now?" I weakly asked our dead queen and not surprisingly there was no reply. My hands held my face as my head swam with the guilt from Adrian. He was doing all of this just to date me. I was going to be an aunt in less than a year and the love of my life is locked up in a cell still believed to be a creature of the night. I always thought that life outside of the academy would be freedom, but it was not. I thought life outside of the Academy would present less drama, it does not. "What should I do now?" I said out loud again talking to a piece of granite, "besides seek psychiatric help for talking to objects?" I said answering myself. I had no idea what to do.


End file.
